"Don't factor in the eccentric strategist."
Even when you receive such pearls of wisdom, there are times when there's nothing you can do about it.
As for the smashed family treasure, it was a relief that things worked out somehow.
"Because for the future, we really should have considered whether to crush them or not."
The Grand Consort's words had saved the day. In the end, the gems were exchanged, and the dragon's fingers were refashioned into three pieces.
Rahan had decided that at least, as an apology, he would introduce a craftsman worthy of both skill and trust — but.
"Haha. Then, regarding future arrangements —"
"No, we will be returning to the banquet hall for the time being."
"That reminds me. I shall as well."
"Yes. We do have connections with other families to attend to."
The Grand Consort of Tatsumi and the former head of U were keeping their distance. Not only that, even their retainers were watching from far off.
Maomao quietly glanced to the side.
"Don't you have any snacks or something?"
"Lord Raohan, please wait just a moment longer."
The eccentric strategist was being reprimanded by Niiban.
Rahan had his glasses fogged over and was slumping in defeat.
"Hey."
Maomao poked Rahan in a low voice.
"Didn't you say something about selling the other side a favor to use in negotiations?"
"I know."
Maomao thought about what to do. For now, she decided to head back to the banquet hall.
When she returned to the banquet hall, the round table for the Lan family was in an uproar. When she went to see what the commotion was about, it looked like Rahan's brother was arguing with an unfamiliar man. Behind Rahan's brother stood Yao and Yanyan.
Behind the man who was arguing, on the other hand, was a man who looked vaguely familiar.
(Who was that again?)
Maomao was hopeless when it came to remembering people's faces and names. The vaguely familiar man had terrible posture. It looked like his movements were locked in place.
(Oh!)
Maomao remembered who it was. He was the man who had been beaten to a pulp by Ma Shan and carried to the infirmary.
Why was he arguing with Rahan's brother?
"He says he has business with Yao. He has no business with you."
"What do you mean 'you'! My name is—"
"Yao. Please, meet with my family."
He tried to push past Rahan's brother to grab Yao's hand. The two guards were glaring at him so he couldn't reach, but the clingy man was armed with a sword.
(That guy again...)
Rahan quickened his pace back to the round table.
"What's going on here?"
Rahan stepped in to break things up.
"Can't you tell by looking?"
Rahan showing up only meant one more weak-looking man added to the mix. The nuisance of a clinging man had no interest in dealing with Rahan.
The eccentric strategist hadn't returned. What was he doing? He had stopped servants carrying food and was snatching dishes off their trays. Number Two was trailing after the eccentric strategist.
Just as Maomao was thinking this wouldn't work, a lifeline appeared.
"What are you doing?"
The dignified voice belonged to the Grand Palace lady of Tatsu.
"Great-Aunt, it's been a while."
The clingy man and the injured man both knelt before the Grand Palace lady.
"Never mind the greetings. You show up late and then seem to be arguing about something—what's the reason?"
(Late, huh.)
She had let her guard down because he wasn't there at the start.
"I have a woman I'd like to introduce to you, Great-Aunt. This is her."
Without the slightest cloud in his eyes, the nuisance introduced Yao.
"Her name is Yao. Her birth family may not carry a notable name, but her uncle is Minister Lu. I believe her family standing is sufficient to make her a bride for our house."
The fact that he explained all this without a hint of doubt was terrifying. The injured man was averting his gaze slightly. He was going along with it because they were relatives, but he clearly understood just how absurd the nuisance was being.
"When you say 'bride,' does the young lady in question consent?"
"She's the one who said it on her own. I have no intention of marrying anyone yet."
Yao said this with a resolute attitude. Any ordinary young lady would have shrunk back, but the ability to speak so clearly was both Yao's strength and her weakness.
"A woman's personal opinion is irrelevant. Since the families are a match, it's simply a matter of discussing it with the parents. Isn't that how things work for women?"
Yao's face was contorted with fury, and Yen'en looked ready to draw a hidden weapon from her robes.
However, the women of the Ri household generally did follow the kind of marriage arrangement the nuisance described. For commoners it was one thing, but for a lady of a good family like Yao, there was no room for personal opinion.
That said, the nuisance still hadn't made his case properly.
(He's targeting a time when the parents aren't around.)
"The fact that you're trying to push this through while her guardian uncle is away makes this cowardly by any measure."
The one who voiced what Maomao was thinking was Rahan.
"She has a mother, doesn't she?"
"A mother? You're someone who doesn't even bother asking women for their opinions—do you really think you can deal with her mother with any kind of respect?"
Rahan said this clearly and without holding back.
"Outsiders should keep their mouths shut."
Now they were going in circles.
"You two clearly aren't getting anywhere."
The Rear Palace Lady wore an expression of exasperation.
"If you wish to introduce someone to me, you should at least follow proper procedure first."
"But Yao's father has already passed away. When you consider her and her mother's situation, what objection could there be to her becoming my wife?"
He said something so brazenly contradictory it was enough to make one retch.
Even Rahan, who had been wearing an expression that said he honestly wanted nothing to do with this, was shooting the man a look of pure contempt.
"Heh heh heh heh."
Rahan laughed.
"What's so funny!?"
"Well, you see. Those are the words of a man who can't get any women to like him."
"What did you say!?"
Not only the stalker-like man but also Rahan's older brother somehow had his eyes bulging with rage.
The guards immediately moved to Rahan's side, but Rahan quietly held them back.
"You kept going on about family and lineage. The Tatsu clan is certainly one of the more prestigious families among the titled nobility. It's not something you can compare to the relatively young 'Rahan' family to. However—"
Rahan looked down at the stalker-like man, who was taller than him. His expression wasn't particularly pleasant, but Maomao didn't pay it any mind given who he was talking to.
"I'm still a low-ranking errand boy who gets sent running to all sorts of departments. Setting aside the family prestige, if you're that confident about taking Lord Bu's niece as your bride, your family name must be well-known, I'd imagine. Forgive my ignorance, but I'm afraid my knowledge is insufficient—would you kindly tell me your name?"
*(Wow, what a burn.)* Rahan was a sharp-eyed man. If the person was competent at their job, even in another department, he would have remembered them.
"This guy goes on about titled families, but apparently nobody's even told him his own name. Well, I'm in no position to talk, though."
Rahan's older brother chimed in.
"Wh-what did you say!?"
Perhaps Rahan's older brother's words had struck a nerve, because the stalker-like man's face turned beet red.
*(So it bothers him more that nobody's told him his name despite being from a prestigious family than the fact that women don't like him.)* The target had completely shifted to Rahan’s older brother.
«Y-you! Are you making fun of me?!»
The stalker-like man clenched his fist and lunged at Rahan’s brother.
The guard tried to step between them.
«Stop that at once!»
The Grand Consort’s voice rang out.
«But he insulted me.»
«Because it’s the truth, isn’t it!»
The Grand Consort also spoke mercilessly. Just as her attendant tried to intervene— «What’s all the commotion about?»
A familiar voice was heard. Turning around, there stood the horse siblings, Mahan and Ami.
Mahan noticed the man he had recently injured and made no secret of his displeasure.
In contrast, Ami, her eyes like those of a raptor resembling their mother, glared fiercely.
*(It’s a free-for-all.)* Maomao quietly pinched some food from a plate and ate it. Rahan had also helped himself and was sitting on a chair. What an incorrigible man.
«It seems like there’s some sort of trouble.»
Ami spoke, pretending to be a perfectly kind bystander.
Reprimanded by the Grand Consort, the stalker man apparently decided to cling to a new audience.
«This man insulted me. If you’re of the horse clan, a warrior family like mine, you should know what should be done in a situation like this?»
It seemed he was acquainted with Mahan. Was he perhaps a military official?
«A duel, then.»
Mahan answered with utmost seriousness.
«A-a duel?!»
Yao was, for once, visibly alarmed.
"A duel? Isn't that barbaric?"
Yao glanced repeatedly at Luo Ban's older brother.
"If you request a formal bout, it's perfectly legal. There happens to be a training ground available, too."
Moments like this called for the brawny Ma Shan. Just the other day, he'd injured a colleague in what he claimed was a "practice match" and thought nothing of it.
Luo Ban's older brother was once again caught up in some collateral mess — this time courtesy of Ma Shan — but both Luo Ban and Ma Shan appeared perfectly calm. Maomao decided to remain a spectator for the time being.
"In the first place, you talk down about me, but who the hell are you? You sit yourself at the Luo family table as though it's the most natural thing in the world, and yet I've never seen your face before."
He wouldn't have. This man was out in the countryside growing sweet potatoes. He had never served at court.
"This person has nothing to do with any of this. He's just a simple farmer!"
Yao stepped forward protectively in front of Luo Ban's older brother.
(This is backfiring. This is backfiring.)
Maomao ate her skewer.
"A farmer, you say?"
The clingy man let out a snide laugh.
"A farmer, hmm? Why on earth is a farmer sitting at this table? The Luo clan really is a gathering of oddballs, isn't it."
"How rude. He grows delicious sweet potatoes, you know."
The words slipped out of Maomao's mouth before she could stop herself. She'd muttered it so softly, and the man was so thoroughly dismissive of Luo Ban's older brother, that he didn't notice.
The Great Consort appeared to be so exasperated she couldn't even speak, and one of her attendants stepped forward.
"That's enough! The reason you haven't been given a name is because of your own shortcomings. Don't think you'll ever become the heir until you understand that!"
The clingy man scowled resentfully.
Maomao thought the situation would finally settle down there, but the one who stepped forward next was Luo Ban's older brother.
"Hold on a moment. I've been insulted by you too. If I just back down quietly here, what happens to my standing?"
"Brother…"
Luo Ban looked at his older brother.
"Why don't we settle this right here and now? If you beat me, the Luo family won't interfere with your marriage or anything of the sort. But if you lose, you drop the whole thing with Yao. Completely."
"I'm in!"
The clinging man was grinning from ear to ear.
Maomao surveyed her surroundings while nibbling on skewers.
Yao was wringing her hands with worry, while En'en kept her gaze trained on Yao, her own face tight with tension.
The senior lady wore a look of weary exasperation, a man in attendance beside her.
Rahan remained composed as ever, while Mashan looked on as though it were none of his concern. And Mamami, like Maomao, was calmly reassessing the situation.
Upon hearing the word "farmer," the clinging man had dropped all pretense of respect, wearing a thoroughly dismissive sneer. His injured companion, meanwhile, looked somewhat pallid.
What was unexpected was that Rahan's brother was rolling his shoulders, fired up and ready for the duel.
(Well, how will this turn out?)
Incidentally, the eccentric strategist was snoring away in the corner of the banquet hall.